Flange oiler or lubricator



Mar; 13, 1923.

- L. N. VINCENT FLANGE OILER OR LUBRICATOR Filed Sept. 50, 1921 2 she'etS-sheet i Mai. 13, 1923.

L N. VINCENT I FLANGE OILER OR LUBRICATOR Filed Spo. so, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 I Lou/6]). 14111052117,"

al iozwawd Patented Mar. 13, 1923.

LOUIS 1\T. VINCENT, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

FLANGE OILER OR LUBRICATOR.

Application filed September 30, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis N. VINCENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King, State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flange Oilers or Lubricators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use same.

My invention relates to improvements in flange lubricators, and more particularly to flange lubricators for use in lubricating or oiling the flanges of the wheels of steam, electric and other cars and locomotives.

The invention consists in the several features and in the construction, combination and arrangement of such features as more full hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to thoroughly lubricate the flanges of wheels, especially when they are traveling on the curved portions of a track, as very little lubrication is required on the flanges when on a straight track.

A further object is to provide a flange lubricator which is automatically operated and caused to feed lubricant to the flanges of wheels by means of the lateral or sidewise movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels between the rails during their travel on the track.

A further object is to provide a flange lubricator which is automatically operated and caused to supply or feed grease from the grease cups to the flange lubricating means by means of the lateral or sidewise .movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels between the rails during their travel on the track.

A further object is to dispense with all springs, weights or other devices for holding the nozzles against the flanges of the wheels, which is a great .advantage, as all such devices are liable to get out of order.

A further object is to provide a flange lubricator which operates automatically and requires no attention or care except the keeping of the lubricant cups well supplied with lubricant.

A further is object to provide a Serial No. 504,282.

flange lubricator which automatically adusts itself to the movement of the wheels in such manner that its position with relation to the wheels is always the same.

A still further object is to provide a flange lubricator which is simple, inexpensive and durable in construction and easy and effective in operation. i

Referring to the drawings:

1 is a front view, partly in section.

F 1g. 2 is a central vertical section on the line 1-1 of Fig. l. H

Flg. 3 is a front view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a front View of another modified form.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one end of the modified form shown in Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a side View of another modified form, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the means for adjusting the connecting rod of the yokes.

In the drawings in which similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views, 1 represents the flange lubrlcator which comprises two lubricant containers or grease cups 2 and 3 connected or. coupled together by means of a pipe 4, which is adapted to be secured and supported by a suitable bracket or brackets, not shown, on a car or locomotive.

The lubricant containers are each made in two parts, 5 being the upper part and 6 the lower part, and connected together by means of a short vertical pipe 1 through which the lubricant is forced, by the reciprocation of the hollow plungers. and fed from the lubricant containers to the flanges of the wheels 7. and the upper part 5 of each beingprovided with a screw cap or closure 8, while the lower part of each is provided with a screw cap'9.

The lower surface of the pipe 4 is provided with a longitudinal groove 10, and 11 is a reciprocable yoke having an upwardly projecting lug 12 which is slidable in the groove 10 and two dependingcurved-arms 13 and 14, each having a forked lower end 15. The

forked ends 15 of the depending arms 13 and 14 are each mounted on and embrace a reciprocable hollow plunger or pipe 16, and each of the slidable plungers or pipes vis slidably mounted in a screw threaded plug 18 which engages thev screw threads 19 of the lower portion of the lubricant containers. A screw threaded bushing 20 is provided screwed into the screw threaded plug nozzle is made of any suitable size required to deliver the requisite amount of lubricant to the flange of the wheel.

The end of the nozzle 24 is vertical, while the end of the nozzle 25 is inclined, as at 26 in order to accommodate it to the incline or shape of the flange of a wheel.

Although I have described the nozzles as being made of flexible rubber, they may be made of metal or any other suitable material desired.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 3, which is designed for use when it is necessary or desired to lubricate only one side of the flange of a wheel, 27 represents a single lubricant container or grease cup made in two parts, 28 being the upper partand 29 the lower part, all the several parts being made an exact counterpart of the lubricant containers 2 and 8 and provided with a short piece of pipe 30 projecting laterally therefrom having a longitudinally extending slot 31.

32 is a reciprocable yoke having a projection 33 which extends upward into and through the slot 31 of pipe 30 and is provided with a roller 34 which is adapted to reciprocate freely in the pipe 30, the yoke also being provided with two depending arms 35, one of which is provided with a forked end 36 similar to the forked ends of the yokes 11, and 37 isv a reciprocable hollow plunger or pipe embraced and carried by the forked end 86 of the yoke 32 and secured in place by means of nuts 38.

The hollow plunger or pipe 37 is similar in every respect to the hollow plunger-s or pipes 16 and similarly mounted, and the end is provided with a nozzle 39 having an inclined end 40.

ihe object of the roller 3% is to eliminate friction and reduce the wear on the end of the nozzle 39 to a minimum degree.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 41 and 42 are the lubricant containers or cups connected coupled togctl'ier by means of a pipe 42 and each made in two parts, 48 being the upper part and ts the lower part, having screws or closure caps Q5 and 4 6, respectively, reciprocable ,yokes 47 and 418, each having a reciprocable hollow plunger "or pipe 49 mounted therein.

The inne'rends of each of the hollow plungers or pipes agbeing provided with a nozzle 50 having a bevel wheel 51 mounted in the outer end thereof on a short shaft 52 for the purpose of preventing the tips of the nozzle from becoming worn by the triotion caused by the car wheel. The upper portions of the yokes 4:7 and 4C8 extend into the pipe d2 through a slot 53, and 54 is a rod which is slidable in the pipe 42, and connects the yokes 47 and 48 together, wheels 55 being provided to facilitate the sliding of the rod 54: in the pipe 42.

In the modification shown in Fig. '6 all the parts are similar to those shown in Figs. '4.- and 5, except that instead of having the rod '54. for connecting the yokes a cable 55 is used which runs over small wheels 56 pivoted on short shafts 57 extending across the pipe 42.

In order to provide means whereby the nozzles may be adjusted, with relation to the wheels being lubricated, the connecting rod 72 is screw threaded, as at 74, into a block '75, and by screwing the same in-or out of the block the nozzles will be moved respectively toward or away from the wheels. I do not wish to limit myself to this method of adjustment, as I may use any other de sired means of adjusting the nozzles.

In use the flange lubricator is placed over and straddles the fiangeot a wheel and is adjusted, and then held in place by means of a bracket carried by the car in such position that the ends of the nozzles abut against the opposite sides of the flange of the wheel, the lubricant cups having been filled with lubricant, the reciprocating movement of the yoke, produced by the lateral play ormovement of the yoke, containers and the truck frame or engine lira-me from slde to side, and also the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels between the rails, causes the hollow plungers or pipes to be reciprocated or moved back and forth, causing the plungers to be moved inward and outward in the lower portions of the lubricant containers, and each inward movement of the plungers or pipes causes the lubricant to be continually forced through the plungers and out through the ends of the nozzles onto the flanges ot the wheel, while the outward movement of the plunger allows lubricant to be fed or moved downward in the lubricant containers in sufiicient quantity to take the place of the lubricant which has been used, and by the con tinued lateral play as above described the lungers are caused to reciprocate or slide back and forth and the extent of movement of the plungers is regulated by the extent of lateral play as above described, first one plunger being slid against the flange of the wheel and then the other.

The continuous turning or rotating of the wheel causes the lubricant fed to the flanges to be spread all around the flange.

The constant jarring of the car results in the continual packing of the lubricant in the containers.

As the lubrication of the flanges is required mostly on curves, when the wheel takes the curve it will cause the flange lubricator to force the lubricant onto the flange and in turning the curve either to the right or to the left, as the case may be, the side of the curved track where the lubricant is needed will be the side lubricated, and when running on a straight track there will be sufficient lateral motion or play to cause the lubricator to continually supply a sufiicient amount of lubricant to the flanges.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated. as it is manifest that variations and modifications may .be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements. I, therefore, reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with longitudinally reciprocable hollow plungers through which lubricant is forced by the reciprocation of said plungers and fed to the flanges of the wheels, said plungers being reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lat-' eral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

2. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with reciprocable hollow plungers through which lubricant is forced by the reciprocation of said plungers and fed to the flanges of the wheels, said reciprocable plungers reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or move ment from side to side of the wheels.

3. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles, reciprocable hollow plungers mounted in said receptacles through which the lubricant is forced and fed from said receptacles to the flanges of the wheels by the reciprocable movement of 1 the plungers in the receptacles.

4. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles, reciprocable hollow plungers or pipes slidable in said receptacles, through which the lubricant is forced and fed from the lubricant receptacles to the flanges of the wheels, and a slidable yoke connected to said hollow plungers or pipes, said hollow plungers adapted to contact with the flanges of a wheel and be reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

5. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles, means for connecting said receptacles having a groove, hollow plungers or pipes mounted and slid able in said receptacles, and a yoke connected to said hollow plungers or pipes and having a lug slidable in the groove of the connecting means of the said receptacles, said plungers and yoke being reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame orengine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

6. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles having upper and lower portions, means for securing said portions together, a pipe connecting the up-- per portions of said lubricant receptacles having a groove, a yoke having a lug seated and slidable in said pipe, hollow plungers or pipes connected to saidyoke and mounted and slidable in the lower portions of said receptacles, said yoke and plungers being reciprocated 'by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

7. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with a lubricant receptacle provided with a lateral extension having a slot, a yoke provided with a lug extending through said 'slot and provided with anti-friction means, a hollow plunger or pipe with a nozzle, said plunger carried by said yoke and slidable in said lubricant receptacle, said plunger being reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

8. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles, longitudinally reciprocable' hollow plungers or pipes through which the lubricant is forced and fed from the lubricant receptacles to the flanges of the wheels, said plungers mounted and slidable in said lubricant receptacles, a yoke provided with depending arms connected to said hollow plungers, adjustable nozzles on the hollow plungers, means for slidably supporting said yoke, said yoke and plungers reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame or engine frame from side to side and also by the lateral play or movement from side to side of the wheels.

9. A flange lubricator for wheels provided with lubricant receptacles, means for connecting said receptacles, longitudinally reciprocable hollow plungers or pipes through which the lubricant is forced, by the reciprocation of said plungers in the said lubricant receptacles, a yoke slida'ble in the said connecting means of the said lubricant receptacles and provided with arms with which said plungers are connected, said yoke and plungers adapted to be reciprocated by the lateral movement or play of the truck frame and also by the lateral play or movement of the Wheels.

10. A flange lubricator for Wheels provided With lubricant receptacles, recipro- 1'0 cable plungers mounted in said receptacles and each having an unrestricted passage therethrough through Which the lubricant is forced and fed from the said lubricant receptacles to the flanges of the Wheels by the reciprocable movement of the plunger-s in the receptacles.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

LOU lS N. VINCENT. 

